The classic Sweet Creek Falls hike has been closed since November 2025, but the waterfall at the end is still open
Oregon’s easiest waterfall creek has a plot twist this fall: the trail’s classic starting point has been shut since November 2025, with no reopening date posted.
Sweet Creek Trail near Mapleton strings small waterfalls, wooden bridges, and mossy creek banks into one of the Coast Range’s gentlest walks. The good news? The big finale is still open from the other end.
What’s actually closed
The Siuslaw National Forest closed the Homestead Trailhead and a 0.9-mile stretch of Sweet Creek Trail #1319 on November 12, 2025, after a vehicle accident significantly damaged the boardwalk between there and the Sweet Creek Falls Trailhead.
As of the Forest Service’s latest update on October 9, 2026, the closure is still listed as in effect until further notice. The order carries a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual, so this is one boardwalk not worth testing.
The trail itself isn’t off-limits. You can still reach it from the south at the Sweet Creek Falls Trailhead.
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What you can still see
From that southern trailhead, it’s a short walk to the main event: Sweet Creek Falls drops in four tiers of 10 to 30 feet each, about 70 feet in all.
When we walked Sweet Creek, the path hugged the water over metal and wooden bridges, with moss on every trunk and ferns crowding the edges. My take: the closure doesn’t ruin this hike, because the biggest waterfall on the creek is the one you’re still walking to.
There are four trailheads along the trail in all, and each one farther along gives you a shorter hike. Parking is available at each.
Fall notes before you go
Mossy rocks are slippery and the creek moves fast, so wear shoes with real grip and keep your feet out of the current. Leashed dogs are welcome, though some pups dislike the catwalk section along the canyon wall.
No fee or permit is listed for the trail. If you want to make it a full day, Kentucky Falls is another Coast Range waterfall hike close by.
Have you hiked Sweet Creek before the boardwalk closed? Tell us which waterfall was your favorite!
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.
Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.
